New South Wales cuts water access as Menindee Lakes hit low point
Storage volumes fell below 480 gigalitres, triggering restrictions in the northern Murray-Darling basin amid fears of summer fish deaths.
By Anthony Shevchenko ·
The New South Wales government has restricted upstream water use after storage at Menindee Lakes dropped to its lowest level in five years. The move comes as water levels across the system continue to decline, prompting officials to prioritize human needs and environmental protection.
Combined storage across the lakes fell below 480 gigalitres earlier this month. This is the first time the volume has dropped below that mark since 2021. In the upper Menindee Lakes, water levels have now fallen under 250 gigalitres, which activates temporary state restrictions in parts of the northern Murray-Darling basin.
The new rules limit access for some irrigators. They follow a period of low rainfall in the catchment over the past 12 months. Experts warn that the current dry conditions increase the risk of mass fish deaths during the upcoming summer. Without improved flows down the Darling-Baaka River into the lakes, the danger is growing.
Menindee has experienced severe fish kills in the past, including in 2018, 2019, and 2023. During those events, millions of dead fish washed up along the Darling-Baaka. Jamie Pittock, a professor at the Australian National University and member of the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists, said officials predict with certainty that deaths will occur without more water. "Government officials are predicting with a level of certainty that unless there's more water flowing into the Baaka-Darling River that there will be fish kills at Menindee this summer," Pittock stated. He called for major rainfall and for state governments to stop irrigators from pumping the first flush of water.
Graeme McCrabb, a Menindee resident who raised alarms during the 2018 and 2019 disasters, said the lakes have reached drought reserve volumes. He described this as meaning water must be conserved at all costs. McCrabb noted that small inflows are arriving from Queensland after recent rain, but said more water is needed. "If we don't get inflows, the risk [of fish kills] would be very high in January or February," McCrabb said. He added that a milder summer would also lower the risk and expressed worry about the water turning green from algae.
Premier Chris Minns and senior ministers visited Menindee days after the 2023 state election. They committed to investigating the mass fish kills. An expert panel was established under the northern basin connectivity program to study the issue. The panel recommended limiting upstream overextraction during dry periods to sustain flows in tributaries feeding the Darling-Baaka River and Menindee Lakes.
The panel delivered its final report two years ago, but the state government has not yet implemented the recommendations. McCrabb expressed disappointment that the advice had not been followed. "Since the fish kills, government agencies have made no policy changes to improve water quality outcomes," he said. The NSW water minister, Rose Jackson, was sought for comment.
